Control valve



CONTROL VALVE 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Dec.

INVENTOR CONTROL VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Se t. 24, 1935. J. L. ADAMS, JR

Original Filed Dec. 8, 1955 INVENTOR won I. ml H U H M .INMM

l I P I l Patented Sept. 24, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTROLVALVE James L. Adams, Jr., Youngstown, Ohio Original applicationDecember 8, 1933, Serial No.

701,456. Divided and this application September 6, 1934, Serial No.742,945

Claims.

This invention relates to fluid control valves, and particularly tothose of the substantially stream-line flow, and floating-balance type,adaptable to production in ultra-large sizes, for

5 use to control the very large volumes of waterflow incident to theoperation of my oscillation type hydraulic locks, of high-lift form, asshown and described in my co-pen'ding application on Canal locks, Serial#700,650, filed December 2nd, 1933, although the valves of my presentinvention are not necessarily limited to such use, or even to thecontrol of water only as a working fluid. Valves somewhat related tothose of my present invention, have been shown in my co- Serial#701,456, filed December 8th, 1933, of which this is a divisionalapplication.

One object of the present invention is to provide a form of valve whichis of the utmost sturdiness, and certainty of operation, and which atthe same time will be relatively easy to construct in enormous sizes, asrequired for above use.

Another object is to provide a design of valve which will be readilymade and kept water-tight at the valve-seats, and at the same timeprovide an exceedingly long life in all its working elements, withelimination of galling of metal parts. A further object which is ofimportance, is to provide moving elements which are substantiallyfloated, but yet with sufiicient un-balance of weight to provide forrolling such elements into and out of contact with the respective seats,so that they will eventually shift and present the entire surface of theball-valve consecutively to said seats, again promoting great length oflife in the valve, and aiding in maintaining water tightness,iby theuniformity of wear so produced. A valued object is to produce a type ofvalve in which even when the flow has been reversed, the reversed headwill always tend to keep the valve closed, and seal it tight by theapplied pressure, independent of the valve-shifting mechanism, or thepossible failure of the latter to function, as due to loss of workingpressure in supply thereto, or other cause, which might endanger lockoperation.

An added object of material value is to provide a valve which at itsfull open position gives a very close approach to full stream-line flowconditions, along a very nearly straight-line path,

with Very easy hydraulic bends only, and of substantially constantcross-section throughout, so as to make for very low loss of head, whichis materially aided by the fact that the moving liquid passes throughone very large opening only,

pending application on Stream-line flow valves,

rather than a multiplicity of small ones, which would present a fargreater total contact area to the moving liquid, and therefore give amuch higher total friction value.

A vital object is to provide contacting valve elements which are sopositioned as to tend to keep themselves clean of all entering sand, andother abrasive materials.

A further object is to provide easily replaced non-metallic, elasticgasket elements at the active valving positions, to make the water-seal.

Yet an additional object is to provide a convenient form of emergencyrelief from any possible water-hammer, which relief will operateindependent of the direction of flow momentarily present in the valve,and will reset itself automatically again after functioning, withoutmaterial, delay and consequent loss of water therethrough.

A supplementary object is to provide a valve 0 operating mechanism whichwill function fairly rapidly, but without possibility of materialchattering of the connected elements during such functioning, as thehydraulic cylinders furnish their own inherent damping. 25

Another object is to show one form of valve which may be operated undersubstantial hydrostatic balance, so that it is easily opened as well asclosed.

Yet other objects of importance will be selfevident to anyone skilled inthe art.

With all these, and still other objects in mind, I have shown apreferred, and one alternative embodiment of my invention, which for thefirst time combine all the above Valued features in 35 a singlepractical mechanism, but which are in each case to be taken as simply.illustrative of my invention, and not as limiting the same, or the scopeof my broader claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical axial line arrows. Primesindicate similar parts. 55

Hydraulic means of valve operation has been illustrated, but mechanicalmeans substantially identical with that shown and described inconnection with my said co-pending valve application, may be substitutedif desired, and operated about as indicated by the wiring diagramassociated therewith, the connecting rod shown being attached to the endof plunger in the present case, to function one of the same, or to anyconvenient portions of the moving elements, as evident to anyone skilledin such devices.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 1, which shows my preferredconstruction as between the two types illustrated, there is found a moreor less globular valve-shell 6|, which may be subdivided longitudinallyinto a plurality of sections, bolted together as required, if suchsubdivision is preferred, but is here shown as in one integral piece,and which is peripherally grooved on its interior for the longitudinallyspaced solid-rubber or equivalent gaskets 62, 63, of generally circularshape, and of which a plurality would ordinarily be provided at eachendof-throw position, but shown as one in order to not complicate thedrawings, these being contacted with by the large ball-valve element 64,preferably surfaced with a finished stainless-steel layer, and with ahoney-comb cross-ribbing on interior for purposes of rigidity, but madewith suflicient total empty space to give nearly a float ing-balance inthe surrounding water, so as to be very easily but positively rolled bythe valve propelling means to be later described, or an equivalentactuating means, along the well spaced parallel tracks 65 at bottom, sospaced in order that the top surfaces thereof will be on a decidedslant, sufficient to tend to keep themselves well cleared of sandintrusions, and under the similar upper narrow confining tracks orcross-ribs 66, mounted across the opening of circular ring cap 61 but insuch wise as to slightly clear the said ball-valve 64, said ring cap 61being bolted at 68 to the shell 6|, with gasket 69 usually interposedaround the perimeter thereof, and with suitable chain holes provided asshown on cap 61, to enable easy lift by crane, when required, within thelined maintenance well 10, which extends up to a conveniently accessibleelevation, or to surface of ground.

This is to enable ready access to the valve elements, for repair orinspection purposes, or removal if necessary, for ball resurfacing atlong intervals.

It will be especially noted, however, that a valve of this general typehas a tremendous expanse of total seating surface available forsuccessive presentation to the valve seats, so as to take up the veryslow wear encountered, and since a rolling ball which is substantiallyfree to turn in any direction, and operated under a near approach toweight-balance, will always be found to very gradually shift around onits axis to successively new positions, without any special provisionbeing otherwise made therefor, other than the periodic high velocityrushes of fluid normally encountered, such shift will be found to occur,thus eventually exposing the entire wearing surface to the gasketpositions, as desired.

Hence its normal operating life, between resurfacing or grindingperiods, should be very great indeed, and its total life practicallyunlimited.

Seated on the funnel shaped top of ring cap 61, is the heavy hollowmetal ball-valve H, con.-

structed more or less similarly to ball 64, but smaller and non-floatedv This smaller ball contacts" with the heavy solid rubber ring gasket12, which compresses enough for sealing purposes, and then allowsth'eball H 5 to contact metal-to-metal with ring 61, from which the ballwill ordinarily never lifted, except momentarily under water-hamiflerconditions, after which it will promptly reelose, as the supportingfunnel-shaped opening is stfcontoured that the ball can not lodge to oneside thereof.

Well 10 may be kept drained normally by pumpage or otherwise, throughdrain pipe 13, although it might be allowed to partially fill, ifpreferred. 15

Closely fitting the main ball curvature of valve 64, are the hollow andsubstantially floated metal caps M, 15, made with well rounded outeredges, so as to never score up the surface of ball, and fitted so as togive a slight amount of free swivel :10 upon the ends of the respectivehollow and sub stantially floated plungers I6, 11, which areanpropriately guided by the lignum-vita or otherwise lined metal guidebushings I8, 19, in turn carried by the plurality of thin wing-vanes 80,8 l, at z.) tached to theshells 82, 83, respectively, which are in turnbolted to the in-'corning and out-going bends 84, 85, on which aremounted the long hydraulic cylinders 85, 81, provided with bolted heads88, 89, through which enter the pressure to pipes 90 and 9!,respectively, from the usual in and out flow control valves (not shown).

For occasional blow-off of sand accumulations,- or for drainagepurposes, as and when required,

I have provided the outlet 92, which taps the bot- :53 tom of valveshell SI, and proceeds therefrom to an appropriate valve, and drainagepath (not shown).

Note that at mid-point position of ball 84, said ball, taken togetherwith the caps I4, 15, and 4,0 the shell 6!, are so proportioned as todevelop a fully stream-line flow passageway through the valve as awhole, with but very easy deviations rom a straight line path, or aroundbends of considerable radius, only, and with a substan- 5 tiallyconstant cross-section maintained throughout, as measured at successivepositions transverse to the course of flow.

The figure shown may not precisely meet all these requirements, but inan actual design it 50 may be very slightly modified so as to do so, byminor alterations of form.

At the end of each swing of the controlled water-column, as the valvecloses, the ball 64 will move over until it somewhat restricts the pas-55 sageway areas, but this movement will be carried out as quickly aspossible, and the water velocities will at that time be very low indeed,so that such restriction will not incur much loss.

Note also that this ball 64 is preferably so left that the head behindit tends to keep the valve closed, and seal it tightly, after each swingof said water-column.

This type of valve has great simplicity and sturdiness, with probableextreme length of operative life, its one great drawback being the veryconsiderable total pressure required momentarily to open it, afterclosure has been once attained.

Thisrequirement may be successfully met by the successive use of thehigh-pressure hydraulic 70 cylinders 86, 87, but nevertheless, in Figure2,

I have attempted to show an alternative construction, having many goodfeatures in common with the embodiment shown in Figure 1, but with thisopening difliculty substantially absent, al-

Cat

though at the expense of considerable complication of the valvestructure as a whole, and an increase in its total bulk and cost.

In this Figure 2, the ball 64, although freely rotatable, is heldsubstantially stationary V in space, so far as any longitudinal motionsare concerned, being provided with just a minute amount Bf freedombetween the stationary hollow caps I4, 15, carried by the likewisestationary shafts I6, 11, which have enlarged screw-threaded portions93, 94, terminating in the adjusting squares 95, 96-, provided with thelock-nuts 91, 98, and threading into the projecting bosses 99, I00,designed on the inside to interfere as little as possible with the fluidflows within the hydraul'ic bends 84", 85, wherein said shafts It, IIare supported by the guide-bushings 18', 19', carried by the radialwings 81, mounted integrally with the flanged cylindrical sections IOI,I82, bolted between the respective bends 84, 85', and the respectiveends of valve-shell 6|.

Sliding easily between the finished outside surfaces of cylinders IIl'Iand I02, and the similarly machined inner surfaces of the reduceddiameter portions I03, I04, of valve-shell BI, are the piston elementsI05, I06, respectively gasketed to both inner and outer sliding surfacesby the gasket rings I07, I08, and I09, III], all preferably of themultiple ring type, said pistons Hi5, I06 being connected togetherthrough the enlarged hollow buoyancy chamber H I, designed to just aboutfloat the entire moving element, and whose interior forms the more orless spherical valvebody I'I2, designed to give very close to streamlineflow'conditi'ons when the ball-valve 64 is at about mid-point thereof,and which is suitably provided with single or multiple solid-rubbergasket rings H3, I I4, recessed properly within the finished valve seatslocated at these points, but readily pulled therefrom when required forturning over, or for replacement purposes, while the exterior shell II5is made to clear by a material amount the enlarged central portion ofthe main valve-shell BI, before mentioned.

A pressure pipe IIB, leading from the upper canal lock level, or somesimilar convenient source of water under pressure, connects to the 4-waycontrol valve III, while the opposite port thereon connects through pipeI I 8 to a sump or waste, the respective ports degrees each waytherefrom leading through tubes H9 and I20 to the interior of cylindersI03, I04, at the extreme ends thereof.

Throwing control valve handle I2I toits R or its L positions, will causepistons I05, I06 to move over together to the right, or to the left,respectively, appropriately altering the main valve positions, while onturning the said control handle to S, the movement is brought to a stop,as and when desired. 7

It will be especially noted that the gaskets H3, H4 seat on theball-valve 64 at points very close to the inside diameter of pistons I05and I06, respectively, so that very little pressure is required to movethe latter, even when valve is closed and under full operating pressureagainst the ball 64.

These control-valve operations may be readily made automatic, so far asthe closure of main valve by the ball 64 at precise end of swing of thewater column passing therethrough is concerned, by means shown in myco-pending valve application before referred to,'and which thereforeneed not be repeated here, although equally applicable to the presenttypes of valve, with only evident changes.

In every case all control equipment should be placed under lock and key,to obviate tampering therewith by unauthorized parties.

In the operation of the valves of my invention, it is believed that theprovision made for rotation of the ball-Valve elements, and theirconsequent slow and gradual shifting to present .all portions of theirsurfaces to the valving action eventually, is very important in valvesof the tremendous sizes contemplated herein, which may be subject to agreat many functioning movements per diem, and in which it is essentialto cut down thepossible wear to a minimum, and increase the life of thevalve to the utmost attainable.

My provisions to substantially eliminate all possibilities of galling upthe working surfaces, are of almost equal importance here, and theattainment of an ultra-low loss-ofhead due to friction is likewise ofgreat advantage for the intended use. Thus it will be observed thatcertain very definite advantages accrue from the substantiallystraight-line flow and stream-line path of the working fluid, of.substantially constant cross-section throughout, when at full openposition of the valve, the nearly full floating-balance of the valveelements, the minimization of friction and wear, the rotation of theball,

and the simple means provided for two-way protection from water-hammer.

The simplicity and sturdiness of my preferred construction is alsoself-evident, and its ability to hold itself closed indefinitely, underits own pressure, and independently of the maintenance of pressure onthe operating means, may sometimes be of considerablevalue. Myconstructions contemplate control of flows in either direction,successively, but are equally adaptable to mono-directional flow, if andas required.

1. In a double-acting fluid control valve, a horizontally andprogressionally rotatable hollow ball valve element, of the nearlyfloated type, a stationary enclosing shell providing therebetween at thefull open position of valve a substantially stream-line and nearlystraight-line passageway for the operative fluid, said passageway beingof substantially constant cross section throughout, two ring typeseating gaskets, one located on each side of the said shell consideredlongitudinally thereof, and a power. means operative to' close saidvalve alternately on each of said two gaskets, under continuous velocitycontrol.

2. In a two direction fluid flow'valve, a ball valve element advanceableby progressional rotation, substantially self-cleaning tracks positionedto guide said valve element during the rotation thereof, a stationaryenclosing shell, substantially stream-line and constant cross sectionpassageways formed between said element and said shell at near full openpositions of said valve, two ring gaskets of elastic material, spaced10ngitudinally along axis of said valve but located substantiallytransverse thereto, around and mounted in said shell, and a powerpropelling means applied to longitudinally'advance' said ball valveelement relatively to said shell, under continuous velocity and positioncontrol, between said gaskets and to each thereof in succession, asrequired.

3. In a two-way flow valve, a ball valve element, substantially self-cleaning tracks guiding the progression of said valve element, two ringgaskets spaced in the direction of said progression, an enclosing shellmounting said tracks and said gaskets, and power progressing meansapplied to rotationally advance said ball valve element between, andrelatively to, said gaskets in succession.

4. In a two-way flow valve, a valve element, guides applied to determinethe line of advance of said valve element, two ring gaskets positionedin planes transverse to the said line of advance and spaced therealong,an enclosing shell mounting said guides and said gaskets, an automaticwater-hammer protective means mounted on said shell between saidgaskets, said means including re-set elements also operativeautomatically, and a power propelling means applied to said shell andoperative to advance said valve element relatively to and from saidgaskets in succession, when and as required.

5. In a fluid control valve, a ball valve element, a co-operating andenclosing valve element, at least one ring gasket mounted on saidenclosing valve element substantially transverse to the general line offlow of working fluid therethrough and so as to substantially surroundthe said fluid, a plurality of guides to direct the relative motion ofsaid ball valve element within said enclosing element and toward saidgasket, and a power closing means applied to produce relative motion ofrotation and advance concomitantly by and between said ball element andsaid enclosing element and thereby rotationally advance the formerrelatively along said guides and toward the said gasket mounted on thelatter element.

6. In a two-way-flow valve, a ball valve element, two gasket ringsspaced in the direction of advance of said element but positioned inplanes transverse to said direction, guides applied to determine thesaid direction of advance, an enclosing shell providing a substantiallyconstantcross sectional path between itself and said valve element atfull open position of said valve, said shell mounting said gasket ringsand said guides, a self-resetting type water-hammer relief means mountedin said shell between said gasket rings and applicable to relief of saidvalve for either direction of fluid flow therethrough, and a powerpropelling means mounted for motion longitudinally of said shell andapplicable to advance said valve element relatively to said shell as andwhen required and in either direction.

7. In a two-way-flow fluid control valve, a nearly floated ball valveelement, means for guiding the line of advance of said element, gasketrings mounted in spaced relation and transverse to said line of advance,said rings being positioned for sealing contact with said element ateither end of its line of travel, respectively, an enclosing shellmounting said means and said rings, a ball type water-hammer reliefvalve element mounted 5 upon said shell between said gasket ringpositions, but outside of the line of advance of said ball element firstmentioned, an elastic gasket ring mounted upon said shell and under saidrelief valve element, and guiding means determining the return of saidelement last mentioned to its proper re-seating position afterfunctioning thereof, during either direction of fluid flow through saidvalve.

8. In a two-way-flow fluid control valve, a nearly floated ball valveelement, guide means determining the line of advance of said element,gasket rings mounted in spaced relation along said line but positionedin planes transverse thereto, an enclosing shell mounting said guidemeans and said rings, and providing a substantially streamline-flowpassageway between itself and said element at near mid-throw position oflatter, power propelling means applicable to rotationally advance saidelement between and relatively to said rings in either'direction asrequired, and including means to positively hold said element at itsnear mid-point position, and to dampen the motion just at "the closingpositions, as required.

9. In a two-way fluid-flow control valve, a nearly floated ball valveelement, guide means determining the line of advance of said element,gasket rings mounted for contact therewith at each end of said advance,respectively, an enclosing shell, power propelling means applicable torotationally advance said element in either direction as required, capsmounted on said power means to contact with said element, said caps inconjunction with said shell and said element providing a substantiallystream-line flow passageway therebetween at near mid-position of saidadvance.

10. In a two-way flow valve, two co-operating valve elements one ofwhich encloses the other substantially, guides applied to one of saidelements to determine the path of relative motion of the other valveelement, two transversely positioned ring gaskets mounted in spacedrelation along the axis of said relative motion and upon said oneelement, and a power closing means applicable to close said valve by therelative motion of said two valve elements, and at either one of the twogasket positions, as desired.

JAMES L. ADAMS, JR.

